Steal My Breath
by Heart of Spellz
Summary: Non-magic AU. Sirius' world is turned upside down when a gruesome murder occurs in the heart of London. At the centre, Remus Lupin. While Sirius' instincts say one thing, his heart says another. He just doesn't know how to decide which one's right.
1. Blood On His Hands

**Disclaimer: Anything you recognise does not belong to me. This will serve for the entire story.**

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><p><em><strong>Blood On His Hands<strong>_

Remus ran as fast as his legs were willing to go; ran until his lungs burned and his sides ached from the exertion. There was blood on his hands – _oh God_ – and no matter how hard he tired, he couldn't get it to come off. They worked at the faded fabric of his jeans frantically, scrubbing until his skin was raw, but the stains just wouldn't _go away_.

The images flashed through his mind slowly, one by one, and Remus wanted to pull at his hair except there was _blood_ – _on his hands, on his hands _– and he had no desire for it to spread to any other part of him. He just wanted them – _it _– to go away. He hadn't asked for this; wanted no part of it, so _why_ did they continue to haunt him?

The man's beaten and broken body, lying in a pool of its own blood – _on his hands; oh, God, _why_ on _his_ hands? _– and all Remus had been able to do was stare. The sightless eyes, the open, terrified mouth, the tear tracks through the blood – _get it off, get it off! _– and dirt: they had petrified him. Before he knew it, however, his muscles had unfrozen and he had run.

Now his feet were pounding across the pavement, the streetlights illuminating his form as he streaked through their yellow circles before he was cast into darkness once again. His heart pounded and his muscles screamed for mercy, but he couldn't stop; not yet. He wouldn't allow himself to stop until he was there.

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><p>There was a loud, annoying ringing in Sirius' ear as he was roused from his sleep. His hand stretched out and he swatted at his alarm clock, but the sound persisted. He swiped his hand in its general direction again and there was a crash as it sailed from the table and landed on the floor in rattling pieces. He began to breathe a sigh of relief, but the ringing sounded loudly again.<p>

Sirius cracked a bleary eye open and stared fuzzily across the space at the glowing green numbers. He cursed when he realised what time it was and reached for the telephone, which was what was making such an annoying noise.

"What?" he snapped through the line at the other person. "Do you not understand that it's still _dark_ outside?"

"Sirius," the voice said, "it's James."

"What the bloody hell do you want at three in the morning?" he growled, kicking at his sheets in irritation. "Don't you have a wife and kid somewhere to aggravate? If only you knew the type of dream I was having. It was heaven, I'm telling you. Bloody flipping heaven."

"Sirius, pull your head out of your arse and listen to me," James shouted so loudly that the line crackled. Sirius cringed away from the phone. "Chief wants you in here now."

Sirius groaned into his pillow. "Can't it wait 'til the sun comes up?"

"No, it can't," James replied gravely. "There's been a murder, Sirius."

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><p><em><strong>AN: So, what do you think so far? Horrible? Wonderful? Horribly wonderful? Let me know!**_

_**Yes, I know it's short, but the following chapters will be longer, I promise. This is simply the beginning. **_

_**So, here are the details about this story. In the initial planning of the plot, everything worked out relatively well, except for one thing. There are two different ways in which this can end. Being completely indecisive, I have chosen to make this a sort of 'choose your fate' type of thing. Sometime, in the coming chapters, there will be a point in which it can branch and split off. When that point comes, I will ask all of you lovely people one simple three worded question which will only have a one worded answer. I will not provide any scenarios as to what you are choosing. You will not know the results of the winning decision until the very end. Sound exciting? ^_^**_

_**Also, a large thanks to potterwatch97 for all the help!**_


	2. Brown Eyes and Lack of Coffee

_**Brown Eyes and Lack of Coffee**_

Sirius stared at the coffee pot in distaste. Why was there _never_ any coffee left? He flicked his nail against the empty glass and a _ping_ sounded through the room. He continued this process until there was a groan of protest from behind him.

"Sirius," James snapped, "would you _please_ just stop that and make another bloody pot?"

Sirius grunted and turned away from the machine instead, leaning against the table and staring at the others. Chief Moody stood at the head of the room, his back to them as he created a large map sketch on a white board. James sat at the opposite end, his glass-framed eyes flying over numerous reports. The other three people in the room were occupying themselves by flicking folded pieces of paper at one another. The two Prewett brothers sat with their fingers together, making a makeshift goal post as Dorcas Meadowes' tongue poked out from between her lips and she angled her paper.

Sirius snorted as his eyes travelled from James to the other three. Honestly, the man was younger than any of them and he was taking it more seriously. Sirius would have laughed, but he suddenly wondered what that said about him.

"All right you lot," Moody called as he turned to them. His one good eye stared around at them while the other was covered with a black eye patch, the adverse effect of a standoff gone wrong a few years back. Sirius was secretly planning a pirate themed party for when the man reached thirty years of service with the force. "What do we know?"

James glanced up from the report he was reading. "Man's name is Remus John Lupin. He arrived here at approximately oh two hundred hours. His hands were covered in blood and he claimed he had witnessed a murder."

"Right," Moody said, turning back to the white board and writing the facts at the bottom. "Victim's name?"

Dorcas reached over and grabbed a different report. "According to his identification," she stated, flipping up the top page of the report, "his name was Benjy Fenwick."

"Bloody hell," Sirius murmured. He turned to James. "We went to school with him, remember?"

James massaged his temple. "Yeah," he murmured, "I do. Always quiet; never really said much."

"Prewett!" Moody called. Both men glanced up quickly and Moody growled in irritation. "The small one, Gideon."

The men rolled their eyes. "I'm Fabian," the smaller man said in exasperation. "We've worked with you for six years, Mad-Eye. Shouldn't you be able to remember which is which by now?"

"That isn't in the job description," Moody snapped. "Whoever you are, see if you can track down some family and get them in here to identify him."

Fabian stood and offered a mock salute before darting from the room.

"So what do we know about the murderers?" he continued.

"From what Lupin described to us," Gideon began, "the one he could see sounded like one of the Lestrange brothers. Early to mid thirties, dark hair, and a scar across the right side of his face which fits with what we have on file for Rabastan. If that's the case, we're dealing with the Riddle group."

"All right," Moody said, cracking his knuckles and turning to his map. "This is a map of the area around where the body was. There wasn't a murder weapon found so we can either assume they've taken it with them, or they've tossed it somewhere. We won't know what did the actual job until we get the autopsy report back, but it's clear Fenwick was beaten with a blunt object and stabbed a few times. That means we're either searching for a knife or a blunt object of some kind."

He turned back to the table. "Potter, Meadowes, go and search this entire area," he said, motioning to the map. "See if you can find anything that would match the description."

James and Dorcas nodded as they stood and left the room. Moody looked at Gideon. "Prewett, I want you to arrange secure protection for Lupin. If he is telling the truth and Lestrange saw him, he'll need it. Don't let more people in on it than you absolutely have to. You can never be too careful. Never know when there's a leak in the department."

Sirius barely contained his snort. _Good old paranoid Moody_, he thought.

Moody rounded on Sirius as Gideon pushed away from the table. "You, Black, I want in the interrogation room with Lupin."

"Why?" Sirius balked. "Haven't you already questioned him?"

Moody glared at him with his good eye. "Yes, I have," he growled, "but I want to see if there's anything that he's hiding. He's more likely to answer your questions than he is mine. You're both closer in age. And don't question my orders, Black! I'll have you buried so deep under paperwork that you'll be pushing it for months."

Sirius huffed in annoyance as Moody limped from the room and flicked the empty coffee pot once more for good measure before he followed. He made his way to the section of interrogation rooms and greeted the man standing guard at the one-way window.

"'Lo, Frank," he said.

Frank Longbottom turned and provided Sirius with a small smile. "Cor, Sirius, you look about half-dead," he remarked.

"Long night," Sirius replied, turning to the window. "So, what's he like?"

Frank shrugged. "Quiet," he answered. "Hasn't really done much. Sort of sat there and readjusted himself a bit, but he hasn't been any trouble."

"Good," Sirius sighed. "That's exactly what I need." He walked to the door and looked back at Frank as he reached for the handle. "Wish me luck."

As Sirius walked into the room, he took a moment to study the man seated at the table as he looked up. Short, light brown hair covered his head with a bit of loose fringe falling forward and over his forehead. Honey brown eyes looked out of a pale, weary, and drawn face. The man was obviously exhausted and Sirius thought it ridiculous that he was being kept simply to be questioned a second time.

"All right, Mr. Lupin," he said as he sat down across from the other man.

"Remus," Lupin spoke quietly, his voice cracking slightly.

"Fine," Sirius sighed. "I'm Detective Black. My chief wants you to be questioned again, so cooperate and let's get this over and done with as quickly as we can, got it?"

Remus hummed as he stared across the table at Sirius.

"What?" Sirius snapped.

"Do I know you?" he asked. "You seem familiar…"

"I'm afraid not," Sirius replied. "Now, can we get on with this?" Remus merely huffed and rolled his eyes. "What now?"

"Oh, nothing," Remus replied casually. "I was just thinking that maybe if you were a bit ruder, this would become much easier." Sirius stared and Remus cocked an eyebrow. "That is how it works around here, isn't it? Seems that way to me, at least."

"Listen, Lupin –" Sirius began, but stopped short when the man spoke.

"Remus," he cut in.

"Whatever," Sirius snapped. "The last thing I need from you today is cheek."

"Oh, bad day?" Remus asked, voice dripping with false sweetness. "Tell me, what's been so terribly dreadful about it? You didn't happen to witness a man being _murdered_, did you?"

"As a matter of fact, I didn't," Sirius retorted. "It's only eleven o'clock in the morning and I've been up since three after only getting about two hours of sleep and I'm being ordered to interrogate someone whose already been questioned more than enough. _And_, to make matters worse, there wasn't even any bloody coffee!"

Remus blinked and cocked an eyebrow as he asked, "So why didn't you make some?"

Sirius gaped, losing his grip on his composure momentarily. "Look," he managed to snap after a moment, "don't make this anymore difficult than it has to be. It's already time-consuming enough as it is."

Remus stared defiantly across the table at Sirius as he stretched out and leaned back in his chair. His legs knocked against Sirius' feet as he moved and settled.

"If that's what you want, I would advise that you drop the attitude and stop making it so difficult,' he said with exaggerated politeness.

Sirius' hands clenched beneath the table. "You are in the custody of the Department of Law. You have no right to speak to me in such a way."

"I have every right," Remus replied lethargically, his head thrown back and eyes locked on the ceiling above them. His sharp brown gaze moved back to Sirius suddenly. "I am a witness, Detective Black, not a criminal. If you would like my cooperation, I suggest you stop treating me as such."

Sirius contained the snarled retort that threatened to escape and growled through clenched teeth, "Fine. Mr. Lupin –"

"Remus," the other man insisted again and Sirius sighed.

"Remus," he huffed, "I need you to tell me everything you saw last night."

Remus sat up straight again. "I've already told your chief what happened and what I witnessed," he said with a scowl. "It wasn't exactly pleasant and I don't see why I should have to do it again."

Sirius refrained from slamming his fist down on the table and adopted a more gentle tone. "I know this isn't easy," he appeased, "but I need to hear the story from you as well. Two minds working on this is better than one."

Remus' eyes slid sideways as he still hesitated and Sirius added softly, "Please, Remus. All we want is to catch the men who did this."

The man's brown gaze met Sirius' grey and he stared for a long, silent moment in guarded contemplation. Finally, he sighed and his hands locked together on top of the table as his eyes moved down to study them instead.

"I was walking home from work," Remus began quietly.

"Where do you work?" Sirius interjected as he pulled out a pad of paper and a pen.

"A pub," answered Remus, "called The Basin, on Tellingshin Road."

Sirius tensed at the name. He could feel the other man's eyes as they stared at him curiously, but Sirius ignored him and motioned for Remus to continue.

"I wasn't too far away," he murmured, "a few buildings or so. I was passing an alley when I heard an odd noise. It sounded like someone choking. I was worried that someone was hurt, so I rushed down quickly."

Remus paused and took a deep breath. "The alley there is a bit crooked because of the design of the buildings. When I heard voices, I hid behind a corner so that I wouldn't be seen."

Sirius' eyes narrowed. "Why did you hide if you thought someone was hurt?" he asked in suspicious confusion. "For all you knew, it could have been people who were there to help."

Remus' voice turned cynical as he scoffed. "You don't make much money tending a pub, Detective. I don't live in the best part of the city."

Sirius nodded contritely and looked back down at his paper. Remus continued. "I took a chance and peeked out," he said. "There were three men there. Two of them stood over the third as he lay on the ground just…bleeding. There was so much of it…everywhere…" Remus stared at his pale hands and clenched them into fists when they began to shake.

Sirius reached his own hand out and placed it on Remus' arm and gazed at him reassuringly. Remus looked up and swallowed thickly as he nodded.

"The man lay at their feet and begged them to let him go, to spare his life," Remus whispered. "He kept apologising and telling them that he was sorry."

"Sorry about what?" Sirius asked, scribbling furiously.

Remus shrugged and shook his head. "Never said," he answered. "All the other two men did was laugh at him." Remus stopped suddenly and his breath hitched as he inhaled shakily. "Then – then they s-stabbed him. They ran off not too long after that.

"When they were gone," he continued, his shoulders hunching up around his neck, "I rushed over to the man to see if I could help. I read a bit about medicine and such when I was still in school, so I knew the wound wasn't too deep. I thought I could staunch the bleeding and he could hold on long enough for me to find help."

Remus inhaled a shaky breath. "He died, though. Right there in my arms and I – there wasn't anything I could do. It – it happened so suddenly. One minute he was there and the next, he was just…_gone_. I tried! I really did! I tried to bring him back, but I couldn't!"

Sirius heard the panic rising in Remus' voice and he gripped the man's arm again. "I know, Remus. It's all right. You did all you could."

Remus released a breathy half-sob as he looked away from Sirius in embarrassment.

"What did you do then?" he asked gently.

"I – I just sat there," Remus breathed. "I don't even know for how long. Then I heard the sound of the men coming back. I jumped to my feet, but they saw me before I could run."

"I managed to get away somehow," he said, "and I ran directly here."

Sirius nodded and returned to his pad of paper. "Can you describe the men?" he asked. "Any distinguishing features or characteristics you can remember?"

"Well," Remus began thoughtfully, "there was one that I could see. The other was wearing a sort of coat with a hood pulled up. The first was about average height and had darker hair, though it didn't quite look black. He was stocky as well and had a decent sized scar on his cheek."

He paused and thought for a moment. "The one I couldn't see was…tall and thinly built. It was clear he was a male, but the way he moved and carried himself was almost…feminine."

"What do you mean?" Sirius asked in bemusement.

"He was…graceful. Almost too graceful." Remus' eyes studied Sirius' body as he spoke and a tingle that Sirius couldn't explain raced up his spine. "It was as though he had been taught the perfect way to move since the day he had been born. It was like watching someone move through water." His eyes finally settled on Sirius' and the dark-haired man had to look away.

"Is that all you can remember?" he asked, his nerves twinging for reasons he didn't understand.

Remus stayed silent as he thought back to the previous night's events. "Well," he finally said, "there was one thing, though it may have only been a trick of the light."

"What was it?" asked Sirius, thankful to have Remus' critical eyes off of him.

"He moved once and it looked like a strand of hair fell free of the hood. It was long and blond."

Sirius' head jerked up. "Are you sure?" he snapped sharply.

"No, not really," Remus replied, taken aback. "Why? Is it important?"

"It might be," Sirius murmured contemplatively. He sighed. "Is there anything else you can remember about what happened?"

"That's all," answered Remus, turning his hands up in the air.

"Right," Sirius muttered, rubbing his eyes. "We're going to put you in a protection programme for your safety. Is there anyone you need to call? You won't be able to tell them what's happened, but you can let them know that you're safe and all right."

Remus' face closed off. "There's no one," he answered.

Sirius' brow furrowed. "Are you sure? There's got to be someone who will worry about you."

"There is no one," Remus repeated in a whisper.

"…All right," Sirius replied hesitantly as he stood. "Someone will be in soon to talk with you and explain what's going to happen."

Remus only nodded and Sirius turned away.

"Detective," he called just before Sirius opened the door.

"Yes?" Sirius asked, facing the other man again.

"How do you do it?" At Sirius' confused expression, Remus clarified. "How do you sit in here day in and day out and listen as people tell you such horrible things? How do you keep from going mad?"

Sirius' jaw tightened and his eyes hardened as he turned and walked from the room without replying. Frank was still standing in the observation area when Sirius entered it and the man chuckled.

"What's so funny?" Sirius snapped.

"You were laying it on quite thick, weren't you?" Frank remarked in amusement. "A good show, I have to say."

Sirius grunted as he stepped up to the window. "I had to get him talking, didn't I?" he countered.

"Oh, of course," Frank stated cheerily. "I'm saying nothing against your strategy, don't get me wrong."

"Then what are you saying?" Sirius growled out.

Frank shrugged. "Not a thing," he said casually. "It's just that a kind, compassionate Sirius Black is something we rarely see, even when you do have to convince someone to talk. Somehow, and for whatever reason, that man did something to you."

Frank walked out after that, and Sirius was left staring at the pale, thin man on the opposite side of the one-way glass whose brown eyes were focused directly on Sirius' grey.

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><p>"Black!" Moody barked through the phone line and Sirius groaned. "I want you here now!"<p>

"Not again," Sirius grumbled.

"Stop your bloody whining, boy," the older man growled, "and get your arse in here."

When Sirius walked into the DoL, Moody immediately grabbed him and dragged him into his office. James and Dorcas were inside as well, both leaning against the walls and looking exhausted.

"What's happening?" asked Sirius, instantly alert.

"Prewett's out," Moody mumbled as he seated himself behind the large desk.

Sirius looked to James for help and the man replied, "Gideon. There was a raid last night and it went sour. Gid was shot." At Sirius' alarmed look, James held up his hands in a calming motion. "He'll be all right, but he's stuck in hospital right now and then he'll be on leave until he recuperates."

Sirius breathed a sigh of relief and turned back to Moody. "What does that mean for Lupin, then?" he asked.

"It means, Black," Moody growled, a faint twinkle entering his good eye, "that Lupin gets a new babysitter."

"Who would that be?' Sirius asked warily. The twinkle was undeniably one of amusement and it terrified Sirius to no end.

Moody's gnarled and twisted face pulled into a wicked grin. "You," he answered simply.

"What?" Sirius balked, though he had been expecting as much. "Why me?"

"Would you like the personal reason or the professional one?"

"The professional," he said through gritted teeth.

Moody leaned back in his chair and studied Sirius. "I talked to Longbottom the other day," he murmured. "He said that out of all the people who came in and out of that room, you were the only one Lupin relaxed around. He told you his story in more detail than he had told anyone else which means he trusts you more."

"That does _not _mean he trusts me more!" Sirius cried. "It just means he remembered more of what happened after running through the story twenty times in one damn day."

"Same difference," Moody dismissed.

Out of the corner of his eye, Sirius could see James motioning for him to just let the subject die. Of course, Sirius never did as he was told.

"What's the personal reason?" Sirius snapped out and James deflated and slumped against the wall in defeat.

"Put simply," Moody said lightly as he stood from behind his desk, "I don't like you and I know this will make you miserable."

"Fan-bloody-tastic," he grumbled.

"You'll check on him once a week," Moody growled as he hobbled forward, "and no more. Too much and you'll draw attention to him."

"No worries there," muttered Sirius and there was a sharp pain in the back of his leg as James kicked him.

Moody's one-eyed gaze leveled with Sirius' as he glared. "I want no trouble out of you with this, boy," he hissed. "It isn't a hard job and you should count yourself lucky that you're even getting this. After that stunt you pulled a month ago, I could bury you so far under paperwork that no one would see your ears for ten years."

Sirius moved his eyes to the floor as heat flushed his neck. _Whoever said that things like this get better was a fucking idiot, _he thought sourly.

"I want you over there now," Moody continued in his usual growl. "Explain to Lupin what's going on and see if there's anything he needs. Get whatever it is if he does. He's been there for a few days, so he should have a decent list for you." Moody provided him with a smirk before he limped from the office.

Sirius immediately rounded on James and punched him in the shoulder.

"Oi!" the man protested as he massaged the tender flesh. "What the bloody hell was that for?"

"Why did you kick me?" Sirius countered by way of answer.

"Because you're one giant arse," Dorcas spoke up for the first time. "Honestly, won't you two ever grow up? I don't see how Lily deals with the both of you. Harry has more maturity than the two of you do put together."

"I am the perfect picture of maturity," Sirius remarked. "Except for when someone _kicks_ me." He punctuated the word by hitting James again.

He scowled at Sirius. "Don't you have a job to do, O Royal Screw-Up?"

Sirius glared at his friend as he followed Moody from the office. "Just for that," he called behind him, "I'm coming to yours for dinner tonight."

He smiled to himself as he heard James groan.

* * *

><p>"Hello!" Sirius shouted through the small house as he entered the front door. "Anyone home?"<p>

"I suppose that's meant to be a rhetorical question," Remus muttered as he came through the living room door and leaned against the frame. He studied Sirius for a long moment. "Where's the other one? Detective Prewett?"

"It's ever so lovely to be wanted," Sirius sighed, his tone thick with sarcasm.

Remus merely snorted and walked back into the other room. Sirius followed, studying his surroundings as he went.

He supposed it was the traditional type of house for such a programme. One bedroom and bathroom, kitchen, living room, and small back garden. There was worn, but decent furniture spread haphazardly throughout the living room and little by way of personal touches.

"Prewett had a bit of an unlucky mishap this morning and is in hospital for the time being. According to my chief, I'm your new watchdog," Sirius grumbled.

"Brilliant. I shall have to think of a suitable name for you, then," Remus quipped from his perch on an armchair. "You don't happen to have any adverse feelings towards 'Snuffles', do you?"

"Oh no, that's hilarious, that is," Sirius remarked sardonically. "A real rib-cracker if there ever was one."

Remus smirked and Sirius scowled.

"Are you sure we've never met?" asked Remus, an odd glint entering his brown eyes. "You look strangely familiar."

"No," Sirius growled, "we haven't. Now if you'll excuse me, I have more important things to do than watch you like some sort of cracked up version of a guardian angel."

Remus only continued to smirk as Sirius pulled his wallet from his pocket and dug out a card.

"This has everything you need on it," he said, tossing it to the other man. "It has my desk phone number and my mobile. If anything happens, call me."

"What about the things I need?" Remus questioned as he studied the card before placing it on the coffee table.

"I'll get them," Sirius snapped. Remus' eyes narrowed, but he let Sirius walk out of the house.

He was halfway to his own flat when his mobile rang. Sirius cursed as he fished it out and snapped it open.

"What?" he sighed wearily, expecting James or Moody.

"Detective," Remus' voice sounded innocently from the other end, "you forgot the list."

* * *

><p>"Sirius," Lily greeted later that night as he entered his friends' home, "wonderful of you to invite yourself."<p>

Sirius grinned at her sarcastic tone. "And brilliant I was able to make it, yeah?" he said cheekily.

Lily smiled and kissed his cheek. "You know we can never refuse you," she answered.

"I can!" James shouted from the floor above.

"That's only because you're an incredibly large wanker," Sirius called back.

Lily swatted his shoulder. "Harry's in the other room," she scolded.

Sirius flashed her a charming smile. "Sorry, Lils. Won't happen again."

"Oh, of course it will," Lily sighed, throwing her hands into the air in defeat and leading him to the living room, "just like it always does. Honestly, I spend more time scolding James and you than I do Harry."

"Funny," James remarked as he trampled down the stairs, "we were just having a similar discussion with Dorcas today."

"I have no doubt of that," Lily said in exasperation. "Children, the both of you."

"Uncle Sirius!" a giddy shriek echoed through the room.

"Harry!" Sirius cried, crouching down and throwing his arms wide. A small body blurred in front of him and slammed into his chest. "Ooff," he exhaled. "I'm getting too old for this, kid." A series of giggles sounded from Sirius' shoulder as the boy was tickled.

"It's absurd how much he adores you," Lily commented, a small, gentle smile touching her lips.

"I think Sirius has put a spell on him," James said, wiggling his fingers at a laughing Lily.

"Don't be silly, James," she chuckled, pushing his hands away. "Who's hungry?"

"No!" Harry cried, finally wriggling free of Sirius' grip. His face adopted a reprimanding look reminiscent of Lily as he glanced at his self-proclaimed uncle. "Stop it, Sirius." He turned to his mother. "I don't want to e_at_. I want to _play_."

"You can play with Sirius after dinner, Harry," Lily told him.

"No, please now," Harry pleaded, his green eyes turning doleful behind his glasses.

Sirius pushed his face up against Harry's and copied the boy's expression. "Please," he begged as well.

James fought to contain his amusement as Lily studied them. "All right," she finally sighed and both Harry and Sirius cheered. "Go out to the garden and play for ten minutes."

"Thanks, Mummy," Harry called as he grabbed Sirius' hand.

"Yeah, thanks, Mummy," Sirius said with a wink as he was dragged away by the excited boy.

Lily hummed as she watched them go. "Our children, Jamie," Sirius heard her murmur as Harry and he walked from the living room.

"You know I hate it when you call me Jamie," James whispered.

"I know," Lily said. "That's why I do it." Sirius smiled when he heard the smacking sound of a kiss.

* * *

><p>Ten minutes later, Lily called them inside. Sirius scooped Harry up and placed him on his shoulders and the boy squealed in delight.<p>

"How's school going?" he asked as he ambled across the garden.

"Great!" Harry chirped happily. "Ron's brother gave me one of his comic books and Hermione's teaching me how to read as good as she does."

"Who's Hermione?" Sirius questioned, picking out a name he didn't recognise.

"Just a girl," Harry replied. "Ron doesn't like her. He says girls have cooties. I like her, though. She's nice."

"Well, then, that's all that matters, isn't it?" Sirius said.

"Yeah," the boy mumbled. His eyes lit up. "Ron and me saved her from this mean cat that was trying to scratch her. We got sticks and I poked it with mine while Ron hit it over the head with his."

"That's quite a story," Sirius laughed. "Harry Potter: Hero. I like that sound of that." Harry beamed.

"Told us that story for days after it happened," James whispered as Harry ran off to wash his hands. "Kept saying he had forgotten that he'd already told us, but he's just proud of himself."

"He should be proud," Sirius said. "Taking on an angry cat. Even I wouldn't do that, I think. Dog person all the way."

"You are a dog," Lily remarked as she carried a plate to the table.

"Just for that comment, Lily," Sirius huffed in indignation, "I will _not_ be helping you wash up after dinner."

Lily snorted. "You never do," she said. "Why should tonight be any different?"

"Right," he muttered, wondering if he should feel guilty.

He shrugged it off when Harry ran back in and claimed with all the authority a five year old could possess, "I'm sitting next to Sirius."

"Sit where you like,' Lily called from the other side of the kitchen. "it makes no difference to me."

Sirius crossed his arms over his chest and looked down at his friends' son. "What if I don't want to sit by you?" he teased. Harry's face fell and Sirius hurriedly bent down and scooped him up. "Hey, I'm only having you on, Harry. I don't mean it. It would be an honour to sit by you for dinner."

Harry's face immediately lifted and his eyes narrowed. "What if I don't want to sit by _you_ now?" he countered.

Sirius snorted. "Cheeky little bugger," he muttered, placing Harry back on the floor.

"Sirius!" Lily cried, hitting him over the head with a wooden spoon.

"Ow! Stop it woman, I'm sorry!" he protested, shielding his head with his hands and darting out of her reach. Harry giggled at Sirius antics and James shook his head.

"You'd never survive if you stayed here more than you do," he sighed, amusement twinkling in his hazel eyes. "Lily would skin you alive with a cheese grater."

"Better than being hit round the head twenty times a day," Sirius mumbled.

James waved him off as he sat down at the table. "Can we please eat now? I'm wasting away to nothing over here."

"Keep going," Sirius quipped. "It'll be an improvement when you do."

James stuck his tongue out and Harry copied him with a giggle as Lily shooed Sirius and him to the table.

Dinner was a peaceful event, all things considered. The conversation was light and the banter even lighter and soon enough, Harry was pushing away from the table and asking to be excused.

Sirius watched him as he ran happily from the kitchen. "I'm amazed sometimes at how big he's getting," he mumbled.

James hummed. "Be six in two months," he said wistfully. "He's growing up fast."

"Now if we can just take care of you," Lily spoke up softly.

Sirius cast his eyes in her direction. "What are you talking about, Lils?" he asked in confusion.

"I don't like have to pay your way out of jail, Sirius," she said stonily.

Sirius' eyes widened and he protested, "I paid you back for that the next day!"

"And I hope you never have to again," Lily countered.

Sirius leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms as both Lily and James gazed at him in concern.

"I think what Lily is trying to say," James began, leaning forward on the table, his hands spread wide, "is that we're worried about you, mate. After what happened –"

"He deserved it," Sirius interjected, his mood turning dark.

"Be that as it may," Lily said, "we're still concerned. Dealing with such a thing as you did is the way of a teenager, not a grown man." She reached her hand out and touched his arm gently. "We know your reason for doing it, and we know the real reason."

Sirius gaped. "What do you mean by the _real_ reason? My reason is the real one."

"Do you see?" Lily said, gesturing wildly into the air as though searching for words. "This is exactly what we're trying to tell you! Keeping your feelings and emotions locked up inside isn't healthy. We know you were hurt and we understand that, but if you had simply talked to us – or to _anyone_ – about it, that entire situation probably could have been avoided."

"You think that happened because my _feelings_ were bruised?" Sirius balked.

Lily's lips pursed at his tone and James sighed.

"Sirius, mate, we know you better than anyone," he said wearily, rubbing the bridge of his nose under his glasses. "You can't hide anything from us, even when you manage to do it to your own self." Sirius huffed and scowled and James raised his hands in peace. "Look, just know that we're here for you anytime, all right. For anything."

Sirius' eyes travelled to Lily as she stood to start clearing the table and shook her head. "Honestly, sometimes I wonder what goes on in that head of yours at times."

He looked down at his folded arms and silently conceded to himself that he did the same thing quite often.

* * *

><p><em><strong>AN: Thank to Hermione Granger-Weasley for the wonderful beta work!**_


	3. Tea and Foul Tempers

_**Tea and Foul Tempers**_

"Black!" Moody barked and Sirius cringed. He was beginning to hate the sound of that man's voice.

"Yeah, Chief?" Sirius called back.

Moody hobbled into view as he rounded the corner and came round to the front of Sirius' small desk. "Checked on Lupin lately?" he asked gruffly.

"Every day," Sirius replied, barely keeping the sarcastic tone from his voice.

Moody stared at him beadily. "You've been round the house and saw how he was doing?"

Sirius' face smoothed out as he answered, "Yes, I have."

"Really?" Moody asked levelly, his good eye narrowing.

Sirius' hands fidgeted beneath his desktop. "Of course I have," he said.

Moody stumped forward and leaned over Sirius' desk. "I don't appreciate lies, Black," he growled. "I have it on good authority that you have not been to that house in three weeks."

Sirius gaped. "What are you doing, spying on me?" he asked angrily.

"I'd have good reason if I was after everything you've done," Moody hissed. He pulled back and glared at Sirius. "That house is under surveillance. I know every little thing that goes on around there. I know if a fly lands on the door, I know if a dog shits on the lawn, and I know if Sirius bloody Black is lying to me." He leaned forward again and planted his knobby hand on the desktop. "When I said every week, Black, I meant every week. When I said no more, I meant no more and _no less_. Should I have made myself clearer?"

Sirius bit his tongue and directed his gaze to the desk. "No, sir," he mumbled.

"I want you there now, Black," Moody said as he straightened and stumped back around the desk. He paused at the corner of the wall and turned back to Sirius. "And if I hear anything more about you disobeying my orders, I'll suspend you for two months without pay."

Sirius released a great huff of breath when Moody was gone and kicked the edge of his desk. The top drawer bounced loose and crashed to the floor and Sirius cursed as he bent to clean the mess up.

"Rough day?" an amused voice asked from the other side of the desk.

Sirius glanced up to see a grinning James Potter leaning against the wall. "Shove off, Potter," he snapped. When James didn't move, Sirius sighed. "You could help, you know."

"Or I could continue to stand here and laugh at you," James countered with a grin. Sirius huffed as he slammed the desk drawer back into place and dropped down into his seat. He groaned as his head fell to the desktop and he wrapped his arms around it. "So, what'd Moody get you for this time?"

Sirius' head wobbled in his arms before his muffled voice emerged. "Hmm nfdm ulmsp tmpnt mghnm ghone fot."

"I'm sorry, what was that?" James asked and Sirius looked up to see James' eyebrows raised in baffled amusement. "It sounded like you were talking into a pillow."

Sirius rubbed at his eyes before he raked a hand through his hair. "He found out I haven't been going to see Lupin and he chewed my arse for it," Sirius muttered. "Threatened to suspend me and everything."

James plopped down in the small metal folding chair across from Sirius' desk. "Rough break, mate," he said as he cringed at the scraping noise the legs made against the tile floor.

Sirius growled as he shoved himself away from the desk and began pacing back and forth. The other detectives scattered around the room shook their heads and rolled their eyes, but Sirius ignored them. "Why does he harass me so much more than anyone else?" he demanded. "I don't see him constantly hounding any of the other knobs around here."

"That's because no one else continually ignores orders, goes against rules, and makes a mockery out of the entire Department," James replied truthfully as he propped his foot against the edge of the desk and balanced his chair on two legs.

Sirius scowled at him. "I'm going to laugh so bloody hard when you fall on your arse," he said. James waved him off and Sirius threw his hands into the air. "I get the job done, don't I? You'd think that would count for something."

James snorted as he tilted back and forth. "It does," he replied. "It counts in the fact that he hasn't suspended you yet, even after everything you've done."

Sirius collapsed back into his chair with a sigh. "S'pose I'm pushing him closer with this Lupin thing."

"Sounds like it," James murmured. He allowed the front legs of his chair to crash back to the floor as he leaned forward. "For what it's worth, Sirius, I don't think he actually wants to suspend you. That's why he gave you the warning. Whether he likes you or not, you _are_ good at your job and, luckily for you, I don't think Moody wants to lose that force."

Sirius leaned back in his chair and gazed at the ceiling as he contemplated what James had said. He _was_ good at his job; they both were. Claiming so wasn't conceit or egotism or arrogance; it was the truth. When James and he had first left school and joined Scotland Yard, they had never dreamed that they would rise to detectives so quickly. Partners from the start, they had taken the service like a raging storm and before they knew it, Sirius was being promoted to Detective, James following two short months later. And Moody had been on Sirius' heels since.

"What _is_ your problem with this Lupin bloke?" James asked curiously. "I know you've never been stuck with the job of babysitter before, but even so, it's like everything about him sets you off."

Sirius pushed himself forward in his chair and rested his elbows on the desktop. "He's just – Everything he says just – He's infuriating!" Sirius cried and James noticeably bit back a smile. "Everything he does seems like he's _trying_ to annoy me. And the things he says – He clearly thinks he's being witty, but he's only making himself into an even larger aggravation."

"Sounds a bit like you," James said, a smirk pulling at his lips.

"Oi, I resent that," Sirius snapped. "I am _nothing_ like him."

James chuckled, but said nothing else on the subject as Sirius glared at him. "Look, you've got to go see him now, right?" James asked and Sirius huffed as he nodded. "Well, I've got nothing better to do, so why don't I go with you? I can see for myself just how _horrible_ he is."

Sirius rolled his eyes at James' tone and the other man grinned. "Yeah, why not?" Sirius sighed.

"Good," James said as he stood and walked around the desk, "and then you can drop me home."

Sirius paused in the act of digging out his keys. "But that means I have to pick you up in the morning!" he protested.

James grinned. "Lily's making Shepherds' Pie," he said by way of peace offering.

"Fine," Sirius muttered as he found his keys and stormed past a smirking James. After a moment, he called back, "But I want _two_ helpings."

* * *

><p>They arrived at the house a while later and Sirius immediately knocked on the door. There was no answer and Sirius waited a few moments before he knocked again, louder than before. The door was still not opened and there was no sound from within. Sirius glanced at James with wary eyes.<p>

James shrugged. "Maybe he's in the toilet?" he suggested hopefully, albeit weakly.

"Right," Sirius murmured, pulling out a key to the front door. He unlocked it and slowly stepped inside, his eyes searching for anything out of place. "Go check the kitchen; I'll do the living room," he told James when the man was inside.

James nodded and took off down the hallway as Sirius cautiously stepped into the living room. Everything was perfectly fine. The room was clean and tidy, just as it had been the last time Sirius had been there. There was even an open book laying on the coffee table and an empty mug beside it.

Sirius stepped back into the hall just as James returned from the kitchen. "Everything's fine in there," James said. "Not a thing out of place."

"I just talked to him this morning," Sirius murmured. "He said everything was all right."

James' eyes travelled to the risers and he motioned to the second floor. Sirius nodded and started up. His foot had just connected with the second step when he heard movement above his head. Remus rounded the corner a moment later and Sirius could only stare.

He was naked, or very close to, save for the small, white terry-cloth towel wrapped around his narrow hips. Sirius' eyes travelled down his neck, over his shoulders, across his chest, and to his stomach in amazement. The man was better built than Sirius had originally thought, the plain of muscles clearly visible without the added excess of clothing. His eyes swept back up to the man's moist chest, tracking a bead of water as it slowly made its way over indents, down the centre of his stomach, and disappeared from view as it slid beneath the towel's edge. Sirius suddenly realised where he was staring and he quickly moved his gaze away, catching James' knowing smirk as he did so.

"Sorry. I thought I heard something," Remus said lightly, a spark of amusement touching his brown eyes as he stared at Sirius.

Sirius flapped his hand at the man. "Go put some clothes on, Lupin," he said.

"Remus," the man corrected.

"Whatever," Sirius growled. "Just do it."

Remus offered a mock salute before he turned on his heel and walked back around the corner. Once he was gone, Sirius began pushing James to the kitchen as the man started snickering. By the time they made it through the door, James was roaring with unrestrained laughter. Sirius scowled and huffed as he pushed James into a chair.

"He doesn't seem so bad," James commented once he had calmed himself, wiping a tear from his eye. "I'd think a man who walks around in nothing but a towel would be rather nice for you."

"Shut it, you," Sirius snapped in annoyance and James collapsed into laughter again. Sirius rolled his eyes as he sat down at one of the stools positioned in front of the counter.

"Something funny?" Remus asked as he entered the room. His eyes travelled from a laughing James to a scowling Sirius. "Or maybe not so comical, depending on whom you are."

James sobered again as Sirius crossed his arms over his chest and glared at his friend. James stood and offered his hand to Remus. "Just a bit of teasing," he said lightly. "I'm James Potter."

Remus accepted James' hand and smiled warmly. "Remus Lupin. It's a pleasure to meet you, Detective Potter," he replied, eyeing the small symbol on James' shirt.

"Call me James," the man insisted and Sirius' stomach turned at the entire affair.

"All right, that's enough _pleasantries_," Sirius spat in disgust.

James glared at him but Sirius ignored the stare as Remus turned and asked, "So what's the reason for the special visit?" He walked around the counter and grabbed the kettle. "Tea?"

"I would love some, thanks," James replied as he settled back at the table.

Remus looked to Sirius and cocked an eyebrow in silent question. "No," Sirius grunted and Remus shrugged.

A long moment of silence passed in the kitchen before Remus asked again, "So…visit?" He leaned his elbows against the counter as Sirius fidgeted and James smirked.

"Well," James began, clearly amused, "it came to our Head's attention today that Sirius has not been doing his job properly.

"Oh?" Remus said curiously. "How so?"

James leaned forward in his chair, his elbows resting on his knees and his face lighting up as though he was about to share a rather juicy piece of gossip. Sirius snorted and muttered, "You're such a bloody woman, Potter."

James rolled his eyes but otherwise ignored Sirius as he addressed Remus. "It seems Sirius here hasn't been coming to see you as often as he should have been," James stated. "He's supposed to be checking in on you every week."

"Ah." Remus' tone adopted a mocking quality as he turned to Sirius and asked, "Did you tell your chief that you call and speak with me every morning like a good little watchdog?"

James snorted as Sirius scowled. "We used to call him Padfoot in school because he always growled at everyone," James said and Remus laughed as he began preparing the tea.

"And we called you Prongs because you were idiotic enough to get a fork stuck in your hair while you were trying to impress Lily," Sirius countered sourly.

James sobered quickly at the reminder and glared at Sirius as Remus handed him his tea. The man walked back to the counter and sat a cup down in front of Sirius as well.

"I said I didn't –" Sirius began to protest, staring balefully at the liquid.

"I know, but it's chamomile," Remus interjected lightly. "Very calming, chamomile. I think that's just what you need."

James snorted into his teacup and Sirius glared darkly at the smiling man sitting across the counter from him. Moody was going to pay for this one day. Sirius would bet the entire right side of his body on that fact.

"Does he really phone you every morning?" James asked, a spark of surprise showing in his hazel eyes.

"He does," Remus confirmed with a small nod. "This is what our conversation generally consists of: 'All right?' 'Yes. Yes, I'm fi—" and then the line goes dead."

James gawked as his gaze moved to Sirius. "I know I've said this before, mate, but you're an _arse_."

Sirius growled as he pushed himself to his feet. "I've had enough of this," he snapped. "James, we're leaving. Lupin –"

"Remus," the man mumbled.

"—I'll be back in a week," Sirius continued, ignoring the man. He pulled a sputtering James to his feet and pushed him down the hallway and through the front door, slamming it behind him.

James was silent until they were halfway to his house, staring out the window sulkily. Finally, he turned to Sirius and said, "I don't understand what your problem is with him, Sirius. He seemed perfectly fine to me."

Sirius stopped at a traffic light and turned to gape at James. "Were you not there with me just now?" he asked in astonishment. "Did you not hear the way he talked to me?"

"Maybe if you weren't in such a foul mood with him all the time, he wouldn't act like that," James scoffed. His gaze turned stony as he stared at the road ahead of them. "Then again, you've been in a foul mood with everyone lately, so I don't know why I expected anything different."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Sirius snapped.

"It means exactly what I said," James said harshly. "For almost three months now all you've done is sulk in that flat of yours and bite off every single person's head that's tried to be friendly with you. It doesn't surprise me that Moody's finally coming to the end of his rope with you."

Sirius watched the cars ahead of him and said nothing. James sighed. "Look, Sirius," he said, his tone softening, "I know what happened was hard, and bloody unfair to you on top of it all, but you have to start moving past it. If you don't let it go, you'll never –"

"I don't want to talk about this, James," Sirius interrupted, his voice flat as his hands tightened around the steering wheel.

"Sirius," James tried, but Sirius refused.

"I _don't_ want to talk about it," he growled.

James sighed again, but said nothing more. They were silent for the rest of the journey.

* * *

><p>As Sirius was leaving his flat the next morning, he phoned Remus, just as he did every day. There was no answer, but Sirius shrugged it off and made his slow, traffic-heavy way to James' house, cursing the entire way. He cheered up a bit when he saw Harry dart out of the house ahead of James, his feet moving rapidly and his arms laden with James work files. Harry climbed in the front passenger side seat and shut and locked the door on his father.<p>

Sirius grinned over at the boy. "Hey, kid," he greeted. "What d'you think you're doing?"

"I'm going to work," Harry stated happily, beaming up at Sirius. "Daddy can stay home and be with Mummy."

James pecked on the window glass. "Harry," he said, his voice slightly muffled, "we talked about this. As much as I appreciate the thought behind the idea, I don't think Daddy's boss would like you showing up in my place."

"I think your dad's right, kid," Sirius said, ruffling Harry's hair.

Harry pouted. "Daddy's boss doesn't scare me," he argued and Sirius barked out a laugh.

Lily appeared in the door of the house. "Harry," she called, "did you forget that you're going to play with Ron today? You don't want to miss that, do you?"

Harry's eyes widened in sudden realisation. He contemplated the files in his lap for a brief moment before he handed them to Sirius and unlocked the door. "Sorry, Sirius," he said as he climbed out, "you'll have to fight with the mean boss-man by yourself today."

Sirius chuckled as James seated himself in the car and accepted the files. "Kid was out the door before I could stop him," James explained as they drove away. "He's a quick little bugger. All I've heard this morning is how he wanted to go to work with Uncle Sirius. What _have _you done to my son?"

Sirius grinned at James. "It's the charm, Potter. It's all about the charm," he said and James snorted.

They arrived at work and Sirius tried to call Remus again once he was at his desk, but there was still no answer. He continued to try periodically as the day progressed, but all his attempts proved to be futile. By lunch time, Sirius was beginning to grow worried. He rang once more, and when there was still no answer, he grabbed his things and made his way over to James' desk.

The man was leaning back in his chair with his feet propped up on his desk, watching a heated debate between two of the older detectives. "Oi!" Sirius said, knocking James on the back of the head. The man started and nearly toppled backwards before his quick reflexes managed to save him.

"What?" he snapped, staring up at Sirius crossly. His eyes took in Sirius' car keys. "Where are you going?"

"To check on Lupin," Sirius replied. James stared at him disbelievingly and Sirius sighed. "I've tried phoning him since I left home this morning and he isn't answering."

James' face took on a worried expression. "Want me to come with?" he asked, already rising from his chair.

"No," Sirius said, waving him off, "I'll be fine. Just tell Moody for me when he comes back, yeah?"

"Yeah, of course," James promised. Sirius turned to leave, but James stopped him. "Ring and let me know you're all right when you get there."

"Yes, Mum," Sirius answered with a smirk.

"Wanker," James retorted without any venom.

"Love you too!" Sirius called back over his shoulder as he left.

It took Sirius nearly forty-five minutes to arrive at Remus' because of the lunch traffic. James had called to check on him twice and Sirius had barely refrained from snapping at the man. He knocked on the door and, when there was no reply from that either, Sirius immediately unlocked the door and entered the house.

"Lupin?" he called once the door was closed behind him. "Lupin, are you here?" Sirius paused and waited, but there was no sound from within the house. He tried again. "Remus!"

Sirius heard movement from the second floor and he quickly ascended the stairs. He rounded the corner into a narrow hallway and called again, "Remus!"

A muffled groan sounded from the room furthest away from Sirius on the left side of the hall and he darted forward until he was standing in the doorway. Sirius glanced around at the small bathroom he was faced with and his eyes strayed to Remus. The man was seated on the floor with his back resting against the side of the bathtub, dressed in nothing more than a pair of plain black pants. His skin was paler than usual and was dotted with a fine sheen of sweat. Sirius' gaze travelled to the man's eyes and he was shocked to see that they were dull and hollow looking, dark shadows laying heavy beneath the lids.

Remus cursed weakly when he saw Sirius and quickly tried to lift himself off the floor. His arms shook violently as his hands gripped the side of the bath and before Sirius could react, the man's strength ebbed and he fell back to the floor. He emitted a weak groan and Sirius finally moved, walking across the room and kneeling at Remus' side.

"What happened to you?" he asked softly as he studied the man. "You were fine yesterday."

"It's nothing," Remus panted, his voice hoarse as he attempted to push himself up once again.

Sirius swatted at his hands gently. "Stop that," he chastised. "And it clearly isn't nothing if you don't even have the strength to get yourself off the floor."

Remus' chest heaved from the exertion of trying to lift himself up. "I just –" he began before cutting himself off and starting again. "I have a weak immune system. I fall ill easily. I didn't feel quite myself yesterday, but I was hoping it was just from being in this house for so long. I was clearly wrong." His tone had turned cynical on the last line and Sirius winced.

"All right, come on," Sirius said, hooking his arm under Remus' shoulder.

"What are you doing?" the man asked in alarm.

Sirius rolled his eyes. "Helping you back to bed," he answered, barely keeping the bite of impatience from his tone.

Remus watched him warily as Sirius pulled the man to his feet and hooked Remus' arm over his own shoulders. His feet dragged as Sirius moved him out of the bathroom and down the hall, Sirius carrying most of his weight. They were both panting by the time Sirius lowered Remus down onto the bed and Remus groaned low in his throat as the softness of the mattress touched his body.

"How long were you sitting in there?" Sirius asked as he rose to his feet again.

Remus closed his eyes as he leaned back against the pillows. "Half the night," he whispered.

"All right," Sirius mumbled, "I'll be back in a minute."

Remus called after Sirius, but he ignored the man as he made his way back down the stairs and into the kitchen. He grabbed the kettle and filled it with water before he set it to heat and pulled out his mobile. He dialed James and the line had barely buzzed once before James answered.

"Sirius!" he snapped. "It's about time! I was about to send the whole bleeding Yard after you!"

"Has anyone ever told you that you worry too much?" Sirius asked lightly.

"Yeah, you, every day," James scoffed. "So I'm assuming Lupin's all right?"

"More or less," Sirius hedged. "He's ill. Gets like this quite a bit, apparently. Bloke didn't have enough energy to get off the floor when I got here."

"Think he needs to go to hospital?" James asked in concern.

"I think he'll be all right," replied Sirius, his fingers tapping against the countertop as he waited on the kettle. "He seemed fairly calm about the whole thing. I'm going to stay round for a while to make certain, though."

The kettle whistled as James said, "Be nice, Sirius."

"I'll be the picture of perfection," Sirius assured as he pulled a mug from the cupboard and prepared the tea. James began to speak, but Sirius tuned him out when he heard a thumping noise from the other side of the kitchen door. It was slowly opened and Remus appeared a moment later, thankfully clothed, panting, and his hands gripping the frame tightly. Sirius' eyes widened and he cut James off. "Got to go," he said, snapping the phone shut as he moved to Remus' side.

"What are you doing down here?" he snapped, helping the weak man to the table. "You should be resting."

Remus didn't answer immediately, focusing his attention on regaining his breath. Sirius occupied himself by delivering the cup of tea and Remus provided him with a grateful smile. The man took a shaky sip of the hot liquid as Sirius seated himself on the other side of the table and waited.

"My mother used to always tell me that it is impolite to lie in bed when you have company," Remus finally explained.

"I think an exception can be made when you're ill," Sirius scoffed.

Remus shook his head, his lips twitching with a small smile. "Not with her, it couldn't," he murmured and Sirius snorted.

They sat in silence for a while, Remus slowly drinking his tea and Sirius gazing around the room. Sirius' head snapped back to the other man when Remus' previous words registered in his mind. "Used to?" he asked curiously.

"What?" Remus said, his eyebrows knitting together in confusion.

"You said that she used to," Sirius said softly. "Is she…?"

Remus' face smoothed out into a blank expression as his gaze moved down to stare into his cup with unseeing eyes. "Yes," he whispered. "She and my father both. They were in a car accident shortly before I left school."

Sirius swallowed. "I'm sorry," he mumbled, unsure what else to say.

Remus' shoulders lifted as he shrugged. "Wasn't your fault," he stated flatly. "It wasn't anyone's fault. Defective brakes on the other car."

Sirius said nothing as he thought about the person who would have told Remus of the accident. Sirius had done the same thing more times than he was willing to count and it was never a pleasant thing. He had never been able to decide which type of person was more difficult: the type that screamed and cried and denied the truth, or the type that showed no reaction at all, only sitting and staring blankly. Sirius suddenly wondered which Remus had been.

"Detective?" Remus asked, his eyes studying Sirius.

"What?" he replied before he sighed. "And I suppose you can call me Sirius." For the first time since they had met, Remus provided him with a genuine smile.

"You never answered my question," Remus stated simply.

Sirius brow furrowed as he tried to remember Remus asking him something. "What question?"

"About your job," he murmured, his eyes trained on Sirius', "and how you keep from going mad while doing it."

Sirius' jaw tightened. "That isn't something I wish to talk about," he said warningly, barely biting back the harsh tone that wanted to slide across his tongue like a whip.

"All right," Remus agreed easily, leaning back in his chair. "Let's talk about something else, then. Let's discuss…where I work."

"That's not exactly top of my subject list, either," Sirius argued.

"No, I'm sure it isn't," Remus said and his gaze turned hard. "However, I _do_ believe it's a rather pressing matter."

Sirius stared at him defiantly. "Talk all you want," he growled. "It doesn't mean I have to respond."

"No, it doesn't," Remus said sweetly. "Based on what I've seen from you so far, though, I have a feeling you're going to." He smiled nastily and Sirius glared darkly.

"Have at it, then," Sirius offered, his tone icy.

Remus crossed his arms over his chest as he continued to stare at Sirius. "When you were questioning me and you asked about my place of employment, I saw the recognition on your face when I mentioned The Basin."

Sirius' eyebrows rose. "So?" he asked defensively.

"_So_," Remus repeated, enforcing the word by leaning forward, "that means you've heard of it." Sirius stared at him blankly and Remus' jaw clenched. "I may work at a pub, Detective, but that does not make me an idiot. The Basin is a little known business in this city and it is like so for two reasons. One, it is a small and incredibly intimate place and two, it is a _gay_ pub."

Sirius' hands gripped the edge of his chair at Remus' words and sharp tone. "What's more," the man continued obliviously, "is that I finally know where I recognise you from." Remus' eyes travelled from Sirius' head to his chest and back up again, studying him intensely. "You're him, the one that started the fight. I was there, working behind the bar. _I_ was the one who had to call the police before you killed him." Remus shook his head, a look of disgust entering his eyes. "Arrested by your own co-workers. What a shame you must be to them."

"Stop it," Sirius whispered.

Remus ignored him. "I think I've managed to figure out what happened, though," he said. "Now that I know who you are, it's a bit easier to work it out. My guess is that you were on some sort of assignment, which would explain how you knew about The Basin at all. I'm also assuming that you're a raging homophobe, which would explain your dislike of me –"

"Stop it," Sirius repeated, louder than before, his hands clenching so tightly that he feared the bones would soon snap.

"No, I will not," Remus snapped sharply. "You didn't like where you were forced to be or who you were forced to be around. The man tried to pull you and you countered by _attacking _him. What type of bloody person are you?"

"Stop it!" Sirius roared, jumping from his chair and rounding the table in three quick steps. Remus' eyes widened as Sirius reached down, grabbed the front of his shirt, and pulled him to his feet, twisting him around and slamming his back against the wall. Sirius' mouth covered Remus' and the man's head crashed against the plaster from the force.

Sirius pulled back quickly and Remus stared at him in shock. "You know _nothing_," Sirius hissed. He released his grip on Remus and the man slid to the floor as Sirius stormed from the house without looking back, slamming the door behind him.

* * *

><p><em><strong>AN: All right! –rubs hands together- Time for the question! Everyone excited? I am! So, Sirius or Remus? See? Not that hard, yeah? So send a review/comment/message my way with your answer and the winning vote will decide the fate of the story. ;-)**_

_**An Additional Note: I'm planning to put this story on hold until sometime after the end of August (which really isn't that far away, so you guys can wait, right?). I've joined the R/S Games on LJ (Go Team Sirius!) and I've got about halfway through the piece I'm writing. Until I get it finished, however, I really need to focus on that right now since there is a deadline. Unless I simply get massively bored one day, or have a sudden surge of inspiration for this story that cannot wait, there won't be another update for about a month and a half. Feel free to message me, leave comments, or anything else you can think of, yelling and screaming at me for it. I'll accept them easily. But! If you're a fan of Remus/Sirius (and you must be if you're reading this), posting for the Games starts in October, so drop by and read all the amazing entries that everyone's going to submit and see if you can pick mine out while you're at it. ^_^**_

_**Also, a large thanks to Trixie Lestrange for another wonderful beta job!**_


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